Barbara Mijares, ABS-CBN News Bacolod

BACOLOD - Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday met with Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra to ask for forgiveness for seemingly cursing Pope Francis during a speech late last year.

During their meeting, Duterte explained that he did not curse the Pope. He earlier said he only cursed at the way the government handled the security preparations for the Catholic leader's visit in January last year that led to massive traffic jams in the metro.

Navarra admitted that he was taken aback by Duterte's earlier statements, but said the issue has long died down.